Beyond the Stars (41 page)

“Not much. I only know that they are your children and that they are very bright. Jackson is a fine young man, a hard worker, and very inventive. You should be proud,” he complimented.

“Thanks,” I muttered. I wondered how much time he had spent working with him on the Space resort. I was comforted by the fact that Jackson liked Gaelan enough to invite him to lunch on the day Leah and I arrived at the resort. It seemed like our lives were intertwined in more directions than one.

“Don’t worry about the reports. They are just a formality.”

I shook my head in disappointment. “Noah, that little spy. He’s lucky he is with Karis. If I could get my hands on him right now, I would tie him to a chair and make him tell me everything he ever said about me.” I was sickened by his treachery. I considered Noah family.

“Please, Sami, this is hardly the time. I assure you, he has never said anything against you. His reports usually boasted your surprisingly quick advancements and his pleasing relations with you and your people. You have many admirers here.”

“I just wish we were on an even playing field. It’s not fair that you know more about me than I know about you.” My face flushed with embarrassment.

“I will try to even my playing field if you tell me what to do,” Gaelan nervously attempted to repeat my figure of speech, despite not understanding its full meaning. He reached out and held me by my trembling hands.

“I would just like to know more about you. I know that will happen with time. I’m just a little freaked out right now.”

“Ask me anything. I will tell you whatever it is you want to know,” he said openly.

“Hmm,” I exhaled. I didn’t speak. Would it be a completely unreasonable request to ask him what he had been doing for the past seventy years?

“I’m sorry I upset you. I hate seeing you so displeased. I’ll find the reports and read them to you if that would help.” He frowned while he gently smoothed the crease across my forehead with his fingers.

“No, it is okay. I’ll be fine.” I winced. “Maybe it’s better if I don’t know everything. I suppose we would have written reports on you as well if we were in your position. I just wish I’d known.” I tried to regain my composure after I suddenly felt a wave of guilt. Gaelan’s honesty on the subject made me love him even more. It also made me realize that he loved me back with the same fervor because he would eagerly tell me whatever I wanted to know. I knew I had to accept things as they were. If there was ever a time to be flexible—it was now. Leah always told me, “What’s done is done, Mom.” She had the amazing gift of going with the flow of life.

He gave me a reassuring look. “Thank you for your understanding. I am grateful that you’re here with me.” I consciously relaxed my face, trying to put him at ease.

“I love you. I’m glad I am here, too.” I threw my arms around his neck. “It’s nice to see your home and meet your family.” I stroked my hand across his angular jaw and leaned up to give him a kiss. I could never stay mad at him. He was too precious a gift.

CHAPTER 25

VERDICT

The next morning came quickly. We prepared to defend ourselves to the council. Azil helped me to get ready as promised. She brought me a white shirt and long black skirt to wear for the day. She told me the colors are worn to represent the balance between light and darkness. She was so motherly to me at times. She could anticipate my needs and fulfill them before I had a chance to ask for help. Gaelan and I took one of the family’s levitrons to the courthouse. It was a beautiful, sunny day. The sky was crystal clear, without one cloud in the deep blue sky. If someone told me I was back on Earth, I wouldn’t disagree. The scenery felt so comforting and familiar. Along the way, Gaelan pointed out a large, beautiful, dark gray stone estate surrounded by lush colorful flowerbeds. The home was crowned by a circular wall of trees outlining the property.

“That used to be Noah’s home,” Gaelan said matterof-factly. I quickly pressed myself up against the glass of my window in order to get a better look of the land sailing below us before it went out of sight. Our aerial view complimented the property’s grand magnificence. I wondered if all of my friends from Kataria were incredibly wealthy.

“Really? You mean he lived
there?
” I was amazed at why he would ever want to leave.

“Yes, when he was young. Before his parents’ accident.” He grimaced.

“Did he sell it before he came to Earth?”

“No, he lost it,” he paused, “along with everything else when his parents died. The court ruled the home and all of its possessions to be given to the closest living adult family member. Unfortunately, the only surviving relatives were so far removed, they had no true relationship at all. Instead of taking Noah in, they shipped him off to an orphanage and took over his family’s estate. He was only thirteen. Katarian law dictates that only those who occupy a property can rightfully own it. They seized the opportunity to take control of his inheritance before he could legally claim it at the age of sixteen.”

“That’s tragic,” I cried while I pictured my dear friend being abandoned. I felt guilty thinking that just yesterday I wanted to wring his neck. Now, all I wanted to do was to hold him in my arms and tell him how sorry I was for his hard life. I finally understood how Noah could leave Kataria and move to Earth. It was to escape from all the painful memories of his past. He came to Earth to start over and make a better life. “What was the orphanage like?” I had to ask.

“The orphanage or boarding school was established to take in all the children that didn’t find homes and were left parentless after the disaster. There were thirtyfive in all. My parents took in Azil and considered taking in others, but she proved to be more than a handful.”

“
Azil?
Are you serious? I’m sure the grieving process must have been terribly hard for her, but I can’t see her being a difficult child,” I said, doubting him.

He raised one eyebrow. “
Oh no
, she was a
real
mess when we first got her home,” he said emphatically. I remembered him telling me that he was fifteen and that Azil was already twelve when they had adopted her. I imagined that the stress of the situation with all those teenagers, and their raging hormones only made matters worse.

“I’m sure it was hard for her, adjusting to a new home and all,” I acknowledged her loss.

“Not just her—it was hard on
everyone!
She was on a self-destructive warpath and trying to take the rest of us down with her. She would have outbursts and go into hostile rages. One time, when I was picking on her …” he frowned.

“Not y
ou?
” I teased, interrupting.

“Yeah, I have been known to instigate for the fun of it. Anyway, she got really angry. She charged me like an animal, picked me up, and threw me through a closet door. I didn’t even know it was possible for a little girl to be that strong. She scared the crap out of me. Things got so bad, we had to hide all the sharp objects in the house, fearful that she might hurt someone or herself.” He took his eyes off the path in front of us and gave me a serious look, conveying his torment.

“Wow! What changed? How did she get over it? I mean, she turned out so well. She’s one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met.”

“Well, we were just
really
patient with her. My mother encouraged her to pursue her love for clothing design and taught her how to sew. It gave her a constructive way to channel her energy. My parents also enrolled her in defensive movement classes, to my dismay.” He shrugged. “It’s similar to your martial arts. I didn’t agree with them at the time. Why in the world would you professionally train someone like
her
to spar? But, they were right; it worked like a charm. It became a therapeutic outlet for her. She and I became good friends, as well. I was happy to have someone other than Liam to hang out with. The two of us would team up against him. I guess we all just needed a little time to become a family. Now, I can definitely say I’m closest to her,” he said, smiling.

I understood. The love they shared for one another was obvious.

***

We arrived at the massive building that hosted the welcome home gala. It looked shockingly different in the daylight. It wasn’t glowing like it had been last night at the party. Today, it looked gray, dull, eerie, and downright haunted. It was amazing how the darkness could make something appear prettier than it actually was. The place seemed dead without all the commotion of people. The building’s narrow windows appeared to have eyes that watched us approach the front steps. They gave me the creeps. We entered through a narrow doorway and found Tyden and Urit standing inside the otherwise vacant lobby, waiting for us.

“Are we ready to have some fun today?” Urit greeted us.

“There’s nothing better to do,” Gaelan replied sarcastically.

“Would you like to know who gave you away?” Tyden asked us.

“Enos,” Gaelan and Urit answered in unison.

“It is no surprise. I imagine he wasted no time before he went rushing to his father to deliver his news,” Gaelan surmised.

“Without a doubt.” Urit groaned. “That is because you two showed him the most exciting affair he has ever seen in his pathetic, sheltered life.”

“I knew he would try to sabotage our lives in one way or another,” Gaelan scoffed. “He’s lashing out at his father. This is his immature way of retaliating for being forced to go on the ship with us.”

“You mean Enos never wanted to go on the trip?” I asked.

“No, it was
entirely
his father’s idea. He wanted to broaden his perspectives,” Tyden concluded.

“Sure, that’s why,” Urit retorted. “It was more likely a way of taking Enos off his hands for a little while. He needed a break from entertaining the spoiled runt.”

“Come, Samantha, it’s time. Let us clear up this nonsense,” commanded Tyden, who then ushered me down the shiny marbled hallway.

“Thank you,” I replied. I felt a wave of nervousness pass through me. I was dreading this. I hoped that the council would approve of my and Gaelan’s relationship. I was prepared to fight for him if I had to.

“I’ve been on trial many times, Sam. We will set things right,” Urit added. “Listen, do not volunteer any information. Only answer the question that is asked,” he instructed. Gaelan and Tyden looked at each other and smiled.

“
You
would know,” Gaelan teased, struggling not to laugh.

Urit shot Gaelan and Tyden an irritated glare before he turned to me. “I have had to defend most … okay fine, pretty much
every one
of my inventions. It’s difficult to explain life-altering medical breakthroughs to nonmedical people. They cannot visualize the significance of anything without
blatant
proof staring them in the face,” Urit quickly defended himself. “Just keep your answers simple,” he said abruptly through pursed lips.

We entered the courtroom together. A man directed us to sit in a row of armchairs at the end of a circular pit. The room felt narrow and would be miserably claustrophobic if it was not for the high cathedral ceiling above. The council members were already seated in the bleacher-type seating that surrounded three walls of the room. There were at least fifty council members stationed throughout the rows. Aside from a panel of six men and four women seated together in the front row, each of them left empty seats beside themselves, as though no one wanted to be too close to one another. Their blank, unsmiling faces were upon us as we walked past them in order to take our seats. All of them were uniquely dressed, but all wore black and white clothing. I now understood Azil’s wardrobe choice for me. The colors were a courtroom standard. The men and women looked as ancient as their surroundings and almost uninterested in being there. One man was so old or bored, he was actually napping while sitting up. Perhaps they didn’t undergo Urit’s treatment, or maybe they received the vaccine later in life. Knowing Tyden’s extreme age, I couldn’t help wondering how old some of them must be.

A man from the front panel stood. “Please give your attention for the trial of Gaelan Liitanen and our visitor from Earth, Samantha Bennett,” he spoke in a loud voice. Gaelan whispered to me that he was the head councilmen. Unlike the others, he wore mostly white. I surmised that he was similar to a judge.

“Gaelan, it has been stated that you have gone outside of Katarian tradition and made this woman your companion. Please justify your actions for the council.”